Cutler: As governor, I will rebuild Maine

KITTERY, Maine — In a three-way race for Maine governor, can independent candidate Eliot Cutler win, or does he pave the way for Maine Gov. Paul LePage to get re-elected?

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By Deborah McDermott

seacoastonline.com

By Deborah McDermott

Posted Sep. 26, 2013 at 2:00 AM

By Deborah McDermott
Posted Sep. 26, 2013 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

KITTERY, Maine — In a three-way race for Maine governor, can independent candidate Eliot Cutler win, or does he pave the way for Maine Gov. Paul LePage to get re-elected?

That was the question uppermost on the minds of many who attended a breakfast gathering with Cutler at the Kittery Community Center on Wednesday morning — the day after he formally declared his candidacy.

"I supported you last time," resident Melissa Paly told Cutler, referring to his 2010 run for governor. "But we could find ourselves in a similar situation again" with Cutler and Democrat Mike Michaud pulling just enough votes from each other to usher in a second LePage administration.

Cutler agreed Paly's question is on the minds of many Mainers these days.

"But the spoiler argument is a stale political argument," he said. "It's a little desperate and it smacks of entitlement. The idea that Democrats and Republicans should have the only places on the ballot is insulting and, frankly, unrealistic.

"No one in this room or in the state of Maine is more committed to electing a different governor than I am," he said. "But excuse me? I'm supposed to leave this race? Uh-uh. People are going to ask themselves who has the plan and the temperament to take Maine forward. And if everyone votes for who will be the best governor, I will win."

That Cutler came to Kittery the day after his announcement is no mistake, he told the Portsmouth Herald.

"York County is hugely important to me and to the state of Maine," he said. "There's enormous vitality here, and it has a history of being independent-minded. We need to do better here than we did in 2010," when he said he received 29 percent of the vote.

Recent polling has placed him behind LePage and Michaud, but Cutler said he has "zero faith in polling. I polled at 3 percent this time four years ago." On the other hand, he said, he realizes he "has to start all over again" to build name recognition. For that reason, he said, he started that process Wednesday in Kittery and intended to end it in Presque Isle.

Cutler was introduced by former Republican state Sen. Ken Lemont and former Democratic state Sen. Stephen Estes, both of Kittery, who are involved in his campaign.

Cutler said their support is indicative of the kind of campaign he will run — "how to move Maine forward, not left or right, but straight ahead."

He said two broad themes will emerge from his campaign. "The first is equality of opportunity," he said. "I can't guarantee results to anyone. But I have to guarantee an opportunity to everyone to make the most of his or her potential."

He said the second theme is prosperity, adding, "We can turn around this state to be one of the most prosperous states in America. We need to make Maine a great place to live and also a great place to make a living."

Cutler recently released a book, "The State of Opportunity," that outlines his goals for Maine, a plan that he said sets him apart from both LePage and Michaud.

"What we need is a vision we all share, a plan that we can believe in, a government we can trust and a governor with courage," he said. "If you work with me, I promise you we will rebuild Maine."